Interesting prompts ...
to start a conversation going ...
as and when you might need one ...
a diversion to talk about

Tuesday, 22 November 2011

If__ .... and Thanksgiving ... and Nano ....

IF... that poem “If __” by Rudyard Kipling, which commences with the lines:

“If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you ...”

Glenridding, Ullswater - The Lake District
William Wordsworth and Daffodils

... just seems so appropriate for a number of reasons .... it’s Thanksgiving ... many of you are doing NaNoWriMo, the Saturday Times produced a supplement setting out 30 classic poems, and I’ve been having challenges with my connection or Chrome or ...

IF I have connectivity and can internet link then I hereby wish all my American friends a very happy Thanksgiving – and weekend to follow – and will be over to catch up on my commenting et al ...

‘Autumn Damask’ ancient rose

“How do I Love Thee?”

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

IF friends around the world had not realised – as I had not ... Thanksgiving is on the fourth Thursday of November. “Black Friday” comes next – no surprise there .. shopping frenzy day (IF you are not doing NaNoWriMo) – the start of Christmas shopping in the States .. the stores open very early 4.00a.m. ... but it is also “Buy Nothing Day” – an international day of protest again consumerism;

... finally comes “Cyber Monday” (first coined in 2005) when the retailers persuade people to shop on line – discounts and online promotions abound .... IF you can avoid the clouds of ads that will smother you – you’ll be a wealthier person.

A William Blake original of

The Tyger, printed 1795

By the way – Happy Thanksgiving time everyone - with family and friends ... enjoy yourselves. I have The World Atlas of Food – whereby it says that originally Thanksgiving was the Pilgrims’ ceremony of gratitude for survival in their new and bounteous land.

Those first Thanksgiving dinners would have been even more elaborate including roast duck and geese, lobsters and eel pie, as well as mounds of venison provided by friendly Indians – together with the traditional fare you anticipate today: succulent roast turkey, chestnut stuffing, served with roast potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, Brussels sprouts, squash, succotash, creamed onions and cranberry sauce and topped off with pumpkin pie. How do you do it?

IF you can keep your head on and remain creative for the month ... you are almost certainly participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) the annual internet-based creative writing project which challenges participants to write 50,000 words of a new novel during November (annually, IF you so wish!).

Jabberwocky by Lewis Carroll

Good Luck to those finishing NaNoWriMo after Cyber Monday has gone by – IF you move to Scotland you could have a public holiday on St Andrews Day – 30 November.

iF Poems is an iPhone or iPad app created by the actress and writer Allie Esiri and the former Times journalist Rachel Kelly, it includes hundreds of poems searchable by theme, poet or age category and features recordings by Helena Bonham Carter and Bill Nighy et al.

Edward Lear’s illustration of

the Owl and the Pussycat

It is being used as a promotional tool by The Times for the Young Poet Competition. As well as listening to the star actors’ recitals, children or parents can record themselves and then e-mail the recording to a friend. A donation of 10% of all proceeds from the app will go to Save the Children.

The app features everything from Shakespeare sonnets to Edward Lear’s The Owl and the Pussycat and classics from Byron, Keats and Shelley. Old favourites by Burns, William Blake, Lewis Carroll, Kenneth Grahame and Walt Whitman ... to name a few others.

To Autumn -
by John Keats

You can search or browse by categories such as “IF you are facing grief” or “IF you need courage” as well as suitability for three age groups: 0-6, 7-12 and 13+.

They’ve made the app educational and have included extra resources, such as a dictionary of poetic terms and mini-biographies of the poets; while the app has been illustrated by Natasha Law, whose work has featured in Vogue.

(Mr Toad smoking and reading a map)
The Song of Mr Toad

Bonham Carter, who is an ambassador for Save the Children said: “There is little that is as deeply satisfying as the apt poem.

It’s like chocolate for the soul, except less fattening. It resolves the nervous system, captures the elusive experience of being alive so we may always have it and never lose it.

Give your child an appetite for poems and they will never be bored”. She then added: “With poems in your pocket, you’ll be armed with beauty and food for the soul and you will never be lonely”.

IF you are lacking in NaNoWriMo creativity ... Rudyard Kipling had a day bed ...

‘I lie there’ he said with a smile, ‘and wait for my daemon to tell me what to do.’

‘Daemon?’

He shrugged ‘Intuition, Subconscious. Whatever you want to call it.’

‘Can you always hear him?’

‘No,’ he said slowly. ‘Not always. But I learned long ago that it’s best to wait until you do . When your daemon says nothing, he usually means so.”

Lying on his side on the oak day-bed his head propped on his right hand, Kipling spent many hours while he brooded over the work he was busy with. From time to time he would jump up and go to the desk, write a line or two, make a note or correction, then resume his place on the sofa. The day-bed was an essential part of the writing process .... how many of us use this today?

Bateman's front entrance

IF ... and the 30 Classic Poems App can be found by searching for “iF Poems App The Times” – interestingly the Hindustan Times picked the Poetry app up – announcing that it is launched by Indian-origin poet: Rudyard Kipling ....

And finally IF I can post this, subject to my connectivity gremlins, enjoy the post, have wonderful scrumptulicious food per Lenny of Lenny's World, and if you love poetry .. consider the App ... or consider the idea!

I have absolutely - completely and utterly - have no idea what an app is or why! I see the word bandied about and I always do my best to sound intelligent about it but all I do is put two and two together to get erm.. well... not 4! LOL!

I also never knew why Amazon started to send me emails about this "Black Friday" shopping experience - where for one day things they hold a sale. Now I know!

Thanks, Hilary! My tech gremlins should get together with your tech gremlins! LOL! Take carex

Hi Old Kitty .. it's a software application for mobile devices - that can be targeted to a niche - eg encyclopedia of flowers, or as here a collection of poems, with the added value of extra information ..

I used the encyclopedia of flowers to show my mother various plants, and read a little about them .. which generated some conversation for us about two years ago - when she was able to do that sort of thing.

But I can see the value for kids to have these poems properly spoken as a resource for poetry, which they can listen too via their devices.

Ah well .. I've inadvertently answered a conundrum for you with black friday and Amazon!

Well so far so good today - I just hope it stays this way .. and hope you can get your tech gremlins to ease up .. cheers Hilary

@ Yvonne .. poetry is right up your street - and am so glad you enjoyed my amalgam of IFs!

@ Clarissa .. I have to say this made me want to go and download the App right away ..

.. and I took the supplement up to the residents - and they were interested to see poems written out (I needed to borrow it back for the post!) ... I'll read them one or two next week during my Conversation session ...

@ Birdie - how lovely to see you - we don't do Thanksgiving here in the UK either .. but the IF seemed so appropriate with NaNo on .. and Thanksgiving .. all the distractions in November! I appreciate your thoughts for my family though .. I owe you a visit ..

IF you have connectivity, you'll see my thank-you here for your Thanksgiving wishes from across the pond. I'll be roasting a turkey Thursday, but eel-pie is not on our menu! Pumpkin pie and chocolate cake? Yes!

I won't be out shopping on Black Friday, but you'll be interested to know that each year lately, the stores bump up their opening time earlier and earlier. This year, some of the major department stores are opening at 12 Midnight for Black Friday ... IF shoppers want to start that early.

My mother was 21 before she ever ate a turkey at Thanksgiving. They lived in the country and ... you guessed it, they were inundated with bunnies. When she first told me that I was horrified. I was young and silly.

@ Alex .. it does sound such a good App to have .. I think I'll be getting it. I too hate shopping - just simply don't do very much of it - and crowds = no thank you.

@ Joanne .. seems like I do have connectivity (long may it last please!) - I'll be over to say hi .. later on today. Roast turkey on Thursday - sounds good! I had eel once and can't say I was enamoured with it .. Pumpkin pie and choccy cake - yes please!

I wondered if the stores opened even earlier and guessed they probably did (Wiki is out of date!) .. it is awful. I went to the sales in London as a young adult with my present money .. the excitement with the masses wore off pretty quickly! My stamina is not very tolerant!

@ Ron - thank you for your Greetings from S Cal .. would love to pop over for the warmth and sun!

Glad you enjoyed the info .. Have a good Thanksgiving .. does Mrs G cook - or have you both now relinquished that task to the youngsters?

@ Joylene - delighted to see you and hear you enjoy the postings.

I can quite believe your story - travelling wasn't so easy then, distribution of foods limited - and we ate off the land if we could. Rabbit is delicious .. I love it - especially casseroled. Fascinating to hear about though ..

@ Sharon .. Kipling was an amazing man .. the Guide Book is extremely interesting and well written.

He has written so many wonderful stories of animals and India .. I expect you found many unknown folk stories ... must have been fascinating research.

Enjoy your time with family and friends over Thanksgiving ..

Thanks so much Alex, Joanne, Ron, Joylene and Sharon .. Happy Thanksgiving weekend .. Joylene and I will drool over everyone's dinners! Happy times - Hilary

Poetry is like "chocolate for the soul." Well put, and we could say the same for extraordinary prose, too. My Scottish grandfather loved poetry in general, and Bobby Burns, in particular. (In our family, he was always "Bobby", not "Robert"...) After a pint or two, Pop would start reciting Burns' poetry, and there seemed no end to the number of poems he knew by heart.

Life is full of "IFs", sometimes "If only..." as well. I have some ifs, too. At this point in life, after having my blog for a couple years, I decided, if I can write, maybe I can paint, too. Giving it a shot!

I, too, use the couch, bed, and even shower/bathroom to let the ideas approach me.

I do have a kind of day bed. My bed's in the living room with an inexpensive and quilted tan cover that makes it look like a day bed. I never knew this about Kipling (love this pic of a day bed) but now that I do, I may emulate him! I might, sometimes, write the "old-fashioned" way, pen and paper, maybe. At least it would save staring at the computer screen for such long hours, but it wouldn't save my hands. I can write so much more now on the computer than I could when there were no computers!

Thanksgiving: I read somewhere that the earliest settlers here in the US of A had a totally different feast than we do today. This is all so very interesting.

Your connection, Hilary, worked well enough for you to leave your always welcome comment. Have a wonderful thanksgiving day tomorrow! I stay away from Black Friday, and I don't do NaNo, but my current book I'm ghost writing is moving along... Thanks as always for your support.Ann Best, Memoir Author

I love that poem by Kipling. It worked wonderfully for one of my Father's Day posts a couple of years ago. I think he wrote it for his son.

Our Thanksgiving will be a little different this year. We're celebrating on Saturday instead of tomorrow due to Son and DIL's work schedule. Really, the day doesn't matter so much to me. It's just being able to get together with family and enjoy a good meal.

I like that idea of Buy Nothing Day. Been trying to work that into my schedule on a more regular basis.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'm thankful for blogging friends like you, Ms. Hilary.

hi miss hilary! wow! for sure you know lots about thanksgiving in america.eel pie?? ack! all that other stuff sounds yummy.i love poems. my mom read them to us from when i was way little. i love that daffodils poem. my brother wrote one just like it but its about butterflies. i still got my moms old poetry book. when she died we read some of her favorite ones. i remember one was called crossing the bar. have a real nice thanksgiving day even if you dont celebrate it. :)...hugs from lenny

@ Ann .. If I lie down - I go to sleep almost immediately! I love the idea of lying on a settee/daybed/sofa and enjoying garden views. I jot things down with click pencils - my writing is legible then! But typing is far quicker and easier ..

I guess those early settlers just had to exist each day .. so ate what was there ... eels were so common a few centuries ago.

Thankfully the connection seems to be on again - and I'm so pleased your ghost writing is coming on apace .. I so enjoyed the glimpses you gave us.

@ Golden Eagle .. thank you - the IF just came to me .. and doesn't Buy Nothing Day sound good.

@ W2W - The poem was written in 1895, two years before John was born. But is so appropriate anyway isn't it ... and certainly would work well within a Father's Day post ..

Seems like a sensible idea to celebrate on Saturday .. enjoy the time with the family and your grandson ..

Buy Nothing Day - sounds good doesn't it .. and thanks for coming over ..

@ Lenny - how lovely to see you .. ah I thought of you when I put in the bit about eel pie! and I guessed you loved your food.

Such lovely memories to have of your mother reading you poems .. they do say so much and the intonation you'll remember. Your brother sounds very clever .. butterflies are gorgeous aren't they - my mother loves them!

What a special book to be able to hold and look through .. Crossing the Bar - is a special poem by Tennyson .. and contains the word 'bourne' .. like Eastbourne where I live. That poem is a beautiful poem and you're one wise kid to be able to remember it .. well done - and your mother would be proud of you.

@ Ella .. If --- is such a powerful prompt - you're so right. We need to share and care more .. if pies would do that .. then definitely Pie Day more often!! You too Ella enjoy your Thanksgiving with your family and crocheting ...!

Cheers W2W, Lenny and Ella - enjoy your scrumptilicious food today (Saturday for W2W) and family time together .. I'll be thinking of you as normal duties resume! Hilary

I love how you creatively connected all of these thoughts together by the word "If!" The app is a great idea! I I thought I read that Thanksgiving celebrations have started traveling to more homes in the UK. In any event, I hope you make the time to enjoy the rest of the week! Julie

@ Julie .. well it seemed an appropriate word in the circumstances - especially when The Times If __ App came out at the weekend.

I'm sure some American oriented friends and families here celebrate - I don't know any though. We're always ready for an excuse to celebrate - we've taken Halloween on board - but the Bank Holiday or rather lack of .. would inhibit us!

@ Madeleine - glad you had a chuckle along the way .. it's quite good sometimes being ill - though I'm lucky and am usually healthy. I can see the savings though ..

Yes = Thanksgiving in Canada is celebrated on the 2nd Monday in October - so it's about 7 weeks earlier than the States. No wonder we get confused - one is a Monday and one a Thursday ... and the clocks change too .. all muddling!

Cheers Julie - Happy Thanksgiving .. and to you too Madeleine for a good weekend to come .. Hilary

Greetings Hilary,If only I could leave a comment at a decent time, rather than this ridiculous hour of the early morning; maybe just maybe, I could formulate a legible comment to this, once again, chocked full of fascinating info, article. You do amaze me with just how much you pack into your articles. And of course, our American friends also have a Thanksgiving Day. A worrying few weeks for turkeys begins in the U.S.A. Speaking of Rudyard Kipling, we both realise that Rudyard was named after Rudyard Lake. A place his parents loved to frequent. I'm lucky to live so close to that 'exceedingly good' lake that is Rudyard Lake. Now, if only I could write a comment that wasn't nonsensical and disjointed. If only...Cheers and Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet star, sends you a virtual hug! :)

Sounds great!! I'll tell my duaghter about this app...would be great to have...we love poetry,love to tie it into our studies whenever we can. And would you believe the TV is telling about some stores over here are actually beginning the black fri. sales at midnight! That is so crazy!! I never shop on b.f.,the crowds are really terrible...Cyber Monday sounds like my cup of tea.

@ Robyn .. Kipling has much to offer with all his works and the influences from the different countries/continents - I can see him being an excellent resource for teachers.

Lovely to hear you had a loving fun-filled Thanksgiving yesterday with family and friends - wonderful to receive the email this a.m.

@ Marinela - delighted you enjoyed it so much ..

@ Gary - IF only we could find the right words most of the time, it would help wouldn't it. Wonderful to see you here ..despite your early hour, I'm afraid I was safely tucked up!

Thanks for reminding me about Rudyard Lake .. I had looked it up a year or so ago .. and had forgotten it's up in your part of the world.

Worrying weeks for turkeys... yes they're gobbling their way around trying to escape the netters!!

IF only - you've done an excellent job of IF connections .. very jointed .. IF only you and Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet star weren't so far away I'd be over for a real barking hug! Have an easier weekend - thinking of you ....

@ Scarlett - that's wonderful .. I'm sure you'll both enjoy the App - which opens up the door to so many poems and opportunities to send you/herr own? - as a Christmas present perhaps.

Yes - someone else mentioned the stores are opening at midnight .. ghastly for the shopworkers! We have these here on Boxing day I think ... Sale days are just awful .. so crowded and very selfish ... Cyber Monday - is slightly more relaxing, with a cup of tea.

So much going on this month, isn't there? I feel like I've barely managed to keep my head above the water. Thankfully, the bulk of my work is almost done and now I can relax. Yay! I'd love some sweet potatoes, please! :)

What a brilliant and creative woman you are, Hilary! I loved this post and will think about it for some time to come. Thanks for your holiday greetings. I have done my Black Friday shopping online, I hope I didn't miss out since I didn't know about Cyber Monday until you mentioned it here. Have a great weekend.

@ Talli .. I don't know how many of you authors cope ... here there and everywhere (FB, twittering too!) .. well done - nearly vino time then or champers time with more successes .. yes I do love sweet potatoes .. good thought. You've had a great year - hard work but fully satisfying I'm sure ..

@ Inger - thank you so much .. not sure what happens to my brain - but it clicks in .. thankfully. Well done for Black Friday - got in before the Cyber Monday rush - terrible names!

Great to see you both .. thanks so much for commenting .. cheers Hilary

No cyber-Monday for me or apps either--I just have a simple phone that I hardly use anyway.My Chrome and connections seem to be okay for the most part, but I know how fickle the computer can get.We had a great Thanksgiving this year. I prepared enough for 30, but due to some sickness and work schedules we only had 17 show up this year. More than enough food for all of us, but there always is. We sent everyone away with food to take home, but we still have plenty of leftovers to last through the weekend.

@ Lee - well I have an iphone .. and quite like the idea of the Poetry App ..but it's a good idea for a present .. I thought.

Your Thanksgiving sounds delicious - so you've left over for me?! I'm on my way ....! Lucky friends and family sent away with 'doggy bags' - do you call them that?

I've been over to meet up with Susan - interesting to hear these memoir- tales ... and great idea to put the posts up for us all to read. So far connection is ok - but gmail just dealt me a mini-query! We'll see ...

@ Ros - I wondered if a few other Brits bought The Saturday Times - it's a good selection.

Yes - IF I had a day-bed .. I'd sleep all the time to catch up .. sounds blissful!

Interesting you're having problems too .. at the moment (touch wood) all is well again .. connectivity-life is working normally - thank goodness!

Batemans is glorious .. I went round with my uncle and had to go slow (very slow) .. but sometime must go out and take my time -it's only half an hour from here .. I expect the National Trust have apoplexy about the upkeep too!

Good to see you and thanks for the note re your parents - thinking of you .. all the best Hilary

Thankfully at our house we do not overeat...and with 3 vegetarians at the table we have be known to have our squash pie as the main course!

Fascinating post and as always I learned a great deal

The stores opened (well many) at midnight or 00:01 on Black Friday and by evening 21 people had been serious injured at Walmarts - mostly by pepper spray and fist fights. There were lots of people robbing others in the parking lots - all to get one of the few flat screen TVs or other bargains. The vast majority now just have huge credit card bills and soaring interest payments.

I think we would have all been better served and especially Wall Street if the Occupy movement had promoted a boycott.

Plaid Saturday is to encourage people to buy from the small local merchants who all had "real" specials to offer and have been deserted/dessert-ed to play on words - and are barely getting by - many closing down on a daily basis.

But then we think Catsup and Pizza are vegetables...hmm

We bought nothing and went hiking and some ran the Turkey Trot with 21,000 others...and helped children and the food banks...

Great post...I too had computer problems last week...finally making the rounds. The Internet is so busy today I can not get my movie streamer to work...and we are running slowhugs to you and thank you for your great words on my post.

Great blog post. Had a wonderful Thanksgiving at home with my husband and son. I participated in NaNoWriMo. Posted the results in a blog post today. Stayed home on Black Friday. Was no way I was going out in those crowds.

Monthly Blogfest - last Friday of each month ... # WATWBlogfest

A - Z Banner

WEP/IWSG 2020 Title guides

About Me

A lover of life – who after London, spent time in South Africa; an administrator, sports lover, who enjoys cooking and entertaining ... who through her mother’s illness found a new passion – writing, in particular blogging; which provides an opportunity for future exploration, by the daughter, who has (in her 3rd age years) found a love of historical education. Curiosity didn’t kill this cat – interaction is the key! Now moved to Vancouver Island, Canada for 'a while' - not forever ...